Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that can prevent you from getting enough food and nutrients, rest, and comfort.  Fortunately, nausea and vomiting can often be prevented and treated.

Causes of Nausea and Vomiting

• Medications
• Damage to the stomach and intestinal lining from the disease process or treatments for the disease
• Anxiety
• Uncontrolled pain
• Motion sickness (travel-related)
• Some infections
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Coughing — thick secretions and/or coughing may trigger vomiting
• Some foods
• Strong odors

What You Can Do To Prevent and Control Nausea

• Provide small, frequent meals of foods chosen by the patient.
• Try foods such as:
• Toast and crackers
• Sherbet
• Pretzels
• Angel food cake
• Chicken without skin (baked or broiled)
• Fruits or vegetables that are soft or bland (potatoes, canned peaches)
• Ginger, herbal remedies

Do not offer foods such as:

• Fatty, greasy, and fried foods
• Spicy, hot foods
• Dairy products, such as milk or ice cream
• Foods with strong odors
• Citrus foods, such as oranges and grapefruit
• Foods containing caffeine, such as coffee, chocolate
• Eat foods at room temperature or cooler.

• Hot foods may trigger
• Suck on ice chips or take frequent sips of a liquid such as ginger ale.
• Avoid drinking liquids with meals.
• Avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
• Provide a quiet, relaxing, pleasant atmosphere for meals. Avoid eating in a room that is stuffy, too warm, or has cooking odors or smells that might disagree with the patient.
• Try relaxation techniques, such as deep, controlled breathing and focusing on pleasant thoughts.
• Don’t force eating even favorite foods when nauseated. This may cause a permanent dislike of those foods.
• Rest after meals, because activity may slow digestion. It is best to rest  sitting up, for about one to two hours after meals.
• If nausea is a problem in the morning, try eating dry toast or crackers before getting up (keep a supply next to the bed).
• Wear loose-fitting clothes.
• If nausea occurs during chemotherapy or radiation therapy, avoid eating for 1-2 hours before treatment.
• Try to keep track of when your nausea occurs and what causes it (specific foods, events, surroundings).
• Share the information with your Hospice team.
• Ask your doctor or Home Care or Hospice nurse about specific medications to help control nausea.

What You Can Do To Control Vomiting

Some suggestions to assist the patient who is vomiting and to prevent and control vomiting if it occurs include:

• If vomiting occurs, turn on your side or turn the patients head to the side to prevent choking.
• After vomiting, have the patient rinse the mouth out with water, brush the teeth, and/or rinse the mouth with a mouth rinse.
• Place a damp, cool cloth on the forehead, neck, and wrists.
• Do not drink or eat until the vomiting has stopped.
• Start the diet up slowly with small amounts of clear liquids. Once you are able to keep down clear liquids, try non-clear liquids.  Gradually work up to a regular diet.
• Ask your doctor or Hospice nurse about specific medications to help control nausea.
• Call your Hospice nurse if you experience:
• Vomiting more than two times in two hours.
• Vomiting that looks like coffee grounds or looks like it is bloody
• Weakness, dizziness, and/or thirst
• If you can not take your anti-nausea (anti-emetic) medication
• If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort

If you have any questions or concerns, please call Suburban Hospice, Inc., 833-888-7222.